Headrest for a dental chair incorporating electrical switch means



March 2, 1965 J. D. CHESSJROWN 3J w HEADREST FOR A DENTAL CHAIR I'NCORRORATQTNG ELECTRICAL swncn MEANS Filed Aug. 28, 1964 INVENTOR. JAMES D. CHESSROWN BYWW A TTORNE Y United States Patent 3,171,689 HEADREST FOR A DENTAL CHAIR INCORPO- RATING ELECTRICAL SWITCH MEANS James D. Chessrown, 4284 Stratford Road, Youngstown 12, Ohio Filed Aug. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 392,860 4 Claims. (Cl. 297391) This invention rotates to dental chairs and more particularly to an improved headrest comprising that portion of the dental chair against which the patients head rests when the dentist is working.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a headrest for a dental chair incorporating an improved positive acting electrical switch means responsive in operation to pressure of the patients head against any portion of the headrest.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a headrest for a dental chair incorporating an improved electrical switch and means for actuating and mounting the same in the headrest and providing a cushioned, flexible construction.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a headrest formed of simple, easily assembled parts arranged so that the weight supporting parts also comprise the electric switch actuating parts of the headrest.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a headrest in which the weight supporting and switch actuating portions of the headrest are completely enclosed by a self-securing resilient cushioning cover.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a headrest which may be universally applied to various dental chairs by adjusting the location of mounting brackets on the headrest.

The headrest for dental chairs disclosed herein comprises an improvement with respect to my prior Patent No. 2,583,817 in which a dental chair light with a controlling switch on the headrest support is disclosed. The present invention relates to an improvement in the headrest itself and the manner of incorporating an electrical circuit controlling switch therein. Those skilled in the art will be familar with the arrangement of a a dentists operating chair in conjunction with water fonts, lights, air and water lines and other devices normally required in the practice of dentistry. Certain of these facilities are operative or conditioned for use preferably only when a patient is seated in a dentists chair and generally the controlling of these facilities constitutes a bothersome task of the dentist attending the patient. Some of the facilities, for example, the dental lights, are uncomfortable to the patient and are preferably turned off when their use is not actually required during the treatment period. My earlier patent provided a simple pressure-operated switch in conjunction with the headrest for controlling such a dental light. The present invention relates generally to the same type of device, but more particularly to a novel headrest construction which more adequately and properly supports the patients head in a more comfortable manner than the prior devices, and at the same time incorporates a positive acting electrical switch which is positioned so that it is actuated by the pressure of the patients head against any portion of the headrest. Additionally, a manual switch is incorporated which permits the dentist to overcontrol the automatically actuated switch in the headrest when he so desires. The headrest disclosed herein also incorporates a novel means of rendering it adaptable to all dental chairs as will be seen in the description proceeding.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described 3,17 1,689 Patented Mar. 2, 1965 and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a horizontal section through the headrest incorporating a novel switch mounting means.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged transverse section on line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the back of the headrest seen in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of another portion of the back of the headrest seen in FIGUREI of the drawing.

FIGURE 5 is a symbolic wiring diagram.

By referring to the drawings and to FIGURE 1 in particular, it will be seen that the improved headrest for a dental chair comprises a longitudinally bowed base member 10, which is preferably of molded plastic, defining an elongated cavity 11 therein and having a continuous channel 12 in the edge portion thereof. The cavity 11 and channel 12 are open to the front of the base member 10. Elevated transversely extending bosses 13, 13 are positioned in the cavity 11 adjacent the channel 12 and on the opposite ends of the longitudinally bowed base member 10 and have tapped openings 14, 14 therein. A pair of oppositely disposed Wide, flat resilient body members 15, 15 are secured by fasteners 16, 16 to the bosses 13, 13. The oppositely disposed wide, flat resilient body members 15, 15 are arranged in angular relation to one another with their free ends in spaced relation to one another and respectively mount a micro-switch 17 and a switch engaging member 18.

Still referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, it will be seen that the wide, flat resilient body members 15, 15 comprise the yieldable means for supporting a patients head and more directly a soft flexible cushioning cover 19 which has a depending flange 20 thereabout and is preferably formed of rubber-like material so that its shape renders it self-positioning with respect to the base 10 and more particularly the channel 12 in which the flange 20 is continuously engaged.

By referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, it will be seen that the micro-switch engaging member 18 comprises an angular extension positioned on one end of one of the wide, flat resilient body members 15 and in its preferred embodiment comprises a section of metal doubled upon itself in a modified U-shape with the arms of the U-shape bent at an angle and secured to the end of the resilient body member 15 by means of a fastener 21. The micro-switch actuating member 18 extends rearwardly from the free edge of the wide, flat resilient body member 15 to which it is attached and is positioned with one side thereof in engagement with an actuating plunger 22 of the micro-switch 17. The microswitch 17 is of the type arranged to close an electrical circuit when the plunger 22 moves outwardly with respect to the switch 17. The microswitch 17 is itself mounted on a rearwardly extending portion 23 on the free end of the other one of the wide, fl-at resilient body members 15 as best seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings.

It will occur to those skilled in the art that when a patients head rests against the cushioned cover 19 and therethrough against the wide, flat resilient body members 15, 15, one or both of the same will move responsive to such pressure in a direction toward the rear portion of the headrest which is defined by the longitudinally bowed base member 10 (or downwardly as seen in FIG- URE 1 of the drawings). When this occurs, the micro- 3 switch 17 and the micro switch actuating member 18 will move apart whereupon the resultant outward motion of the plunger 22 will close the micro-switch and the electrical circuit therethrough.

It will thus be seen that the most minute pressure applied to the headrest will result in motion of one or both of the wide flat resilient body members 15, 15 and the immediate operation of the micro-switch 17 as the hereinbefore described action takes place responsive thereto.

In FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, circuit wires 24, 24 lead from the microswitch 17 into a switch housing 25 which is mounted within the cavity 11 on the base member 10 of the headrest. The housing 25 encloses a manually operated switch 26 having an operating lever 27 extending exteriorly of the base member 10 so that it may be moved to open or close the circuit normally controlled by the micro-switch 17. Terminal prongs 28, 28 provide terminals for the wires 24, 24 so that a suitable extension can be plugged into an opening 29 in the back of'the base member 10 of the headrest as seen in FIGURE 4 of the drawings, and the electrical circuit extended so that dental lights may be controlled thereby as well as other equipment if the dentist so desires.

In FIGURE of the drawings, a symbolic drawing of the circuits may be seen, and it will be observed that the dental light is illustrated and indicated by the numeral 30. FIGURE 5 shows the complete circuit including a power supply, the dental light 39, the microsWitch 17, and the manually operated control switch 26 with its lever 27. The terminal prongs 28 are illustrated as part of the circuit connecting the power supply and the dental light 30 with the switch means as will be p v understood by those skilled in the art.

By now referring to FIGURES 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings, it will be observed that the back of the base 10 has a plurality of drilled and tapped openings 31, 31 therein arranged for the selective mounting of brackets 32, 32 which are secured thereto by fasteners 33, 33 and which brackets 32, 32 are provided with hinge pins 34, 34 so that the headrest can be mounted thereby on any one of a number of conventional bifurcated supports on a dental chair.

The brackets 32, 32 may be moved relative to one another by repositioning the fasteners 33, 33 in the several tappedopenings 31, 31 so as to match the particular location of the brackets 32, 32 to the particular configuration and arrangement of the bifurcated headrest supporting bracket on a dental chair.

It will thus be seen that an improved headrest for a dental chair has been disclosed which incorporates novel resilient constructions and convenient and comfortable enclosures therefor and at the same time mounts a microswitch in an unusually sensitive arrangement so that the pressure of the patients head on any part of the headrest may be used to control one or more dental accessories, such as the dental lights.

It will thus be seen that a headrest meeting the several objects of the invention has been disclosed and having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A headrest for a dental chair and comprising an elongated arcuate base member defining a cavity open to the front thereof, a continuous channel in said base member adjacent the edge thereof and a pair of oppositely disposed resilient body members secured to said base member within said cavity in spaced relation to said base member and having their free ends positioned adjacent one another in a central area of said cavity, a micro-switch on one of said resilient body members and a switch engaging extension on the other of said resilient body members, said switch and said switch engaging extension normally engaged and arranged to actuate said switch when said resilient body members are moved relative to one another, a flexible cover for said headrest having a resilient flange thereabout normally engaged in said continuous channel in said base and overlying said resilient body members and forming a closure for said cavity in said base.

2. Theheadrest for a dental chair set forth in claim 1 and wherein the base includes elevated transversely extending bosses adjacent its opposite ends and wherein said resilient body members are secured to said bosses.

3. The headrest for a dental chair set forth in claim 1 and wherein the continuous channel in said base member partially underlies portions of said base supporting said resilient body members and is arranged to receive said resilient flange of said flexible cover in partially underlying relation to said portions of said base supporting said resilient body members.

4. A headrest for a dental chair comprising a base member having a forwardly facing flange thereabout defining a cavity in the area enclosed thereby, a resilient cover forming a closure for said cavity, support structures on said base in the opposite ends of said cavity, wide fiat resilient body members secured to said supporting structures in oppositely disposed relation and extending toward one another with respect thereto and having their free ends in closely spaced relation, a switch member carried on the free end of one of said wide flat resilient body members, a secondary switch member on the free end of the other of said wide flat resilient body members, said switch member and secondary switch member arranged to control an electric circuit in connection therewith when said wide flat resilient body members are moved so as to increase the degree of separation of their adjacent end portions, and mounting brackets on said base member for securing the same to the headrest mounting bracket on a dental chair.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,583,817 1/52 Chessrown 2401 2,586,952 2/52 Johnson et al. 297407 2,632,098 3/53 Marchese 240123 2,842,628 7/58 James ZOO-61.58 2,985,228 5/61 GOldfill 297-409 7 3,027,193 3/62 Graham 297391 3,041,109 6/62 Eames et a1. 297-452 3,139,307 6/64 Hawley et a1 297-452 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A HEADREST FOR A DENTAL CHAIR AND COMPRISING AN ELONGATED ARCUATE BASE MEMBER DEFINING A CAVITY OPEN TO THE FRONT THEREOF, A CONTINUOUS CHANNEL IN SAID BASE MEMBER ADJACENT THE EDGE THEREOF AND A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED RESILIENT BODY MEMBERS SECURED TO SAID BASE MEMBER WITHIN SAID CAVITY IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID BASE MEMBER AND HAVING THEIR FREE ENDS POSITIONED ADJACENT ONE ANOTHER IN A CENTRAL AREA OF SAID CAVITY, A MICRO-SWITCH ON ONE OF SAID RESILIENT BODY MEMBERS AND A SWITCH ENGAGING EXTENSION ON THE OTHER OF SAID RESILIENT BODY MEMBERS, SAID SWITCH AND SAID SWITCH ENGAGING EXTENSION NORMALLY ENGAGED AND ARRANGED TO ACTUATE SAID SWITCH WHEN SAID RESILIENT BODY MEMBERS ARE MOVED RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER, A FLEXIBLE COVER FOR SAID HEADREST HAVING A RESILIENT FLANGE THEREABOUT NORMALLY ENGAGED IN SAID CONTINUOUS CHANNEL IN SAID BASE AND OVERLYING SAID RESILIENT BODY MEMBERS AND FORMING A CLOSURE FOR SAID CAVITY IN SAID BASE. 